The Supreme Court questioned controversial former cricket administrators N Srinivasan and Niranjan Shah for attending a recent meeting of the BCCI, asking how could persons disqualified by it be part of any deliberation of the cash-rich body. “How can a person disqualified by virtue of apex court order be nominated as nominee of state cricket associations and attend the meeting of BCCI,” a bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra said. The bench, which also comprised Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, issued notices to Srinivasan and Shah seeking their responses to hear them on July 24, when they will also go into the fourth status report filed by Committee of Administrators (COA) headed by former CAG Vinod Rai.

With vested interest

In the fourth status report submitted by the COA, Srinivasan and Shah have been described as “disqualified office bearers with vested interest”, who were trying to stall the implementation of Lodha reforms. The applications moved by the apex court-appointed COA complained that the two veterans who were disqualified were present as nominees of Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) and Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) respectively, at the June 26 Special General Meeting (SGM) of the BCCI. Both Srinivasan and Shah were disqualified from becoming the office bearers of BCCI or state cricket bodies as they fell under the category of debarment for either having conflict of interest or attaining the age of 70 years, as per Justice RM Lodha-led panel recommendation which were accepted by the apex court.

Thakur’s apology accepted

The bench also gave relief to former BCCI president Anurag Thakur by accepting his “unconditional” and “unequivocal” apology and dropped the contempt and criminal proceedings against him for perjury. The apex court had initiated contempt proceedings against Thakur on January 2 this year for filing a false affidavit regarding writing to the International Cricket Council (ICC) on the issue of BCCI’s autonomy.

Guha, Limaye relieved

Senior advocate Gopal Subramanium, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae in the matter, informed that two members of the COA – Ramachandra Guha and Vikram Limaye – have tendered their resignation from the post of administrators of the BCCI. The apex court accepted the resignation and relieved Guha who has resigned due to personal reasons.

It also relieved Limaye, who quit recently after being appointed the Managing Director and CEO of National Stock Exchange. Subramanium suggested six names for filling up the post of administrators fallen vacant after these resignations but the apex court sought suggestions from senior counsels like Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, Kapil Sibal and others appearing for various parties in the matter in ten days in a sealed cover, to be considered on September 5.

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